13 Natural and Easy Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar

Being diagnosed with Type II diabetes can be a bummer, and it can be a struggle to keep blood sugars under control.

Sometimes, you may find yourself with blood sugar levels that are higher than normal (let's say around 150, for example), but not excessive enough to necessitate taking more medication. You don't feel very good with the higher blood sugar, but taking medication can make your blood sugar TOO low.

So what can you do to lower your blood sugar up to 40 points without taking more medication? Try the following these 13 tips and see if you can lower your blood sugar naturally. (See also: How to Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes)

Health Disclaimer:As always, you need to be careful to monitor your sugar levels so as not to become hypoglycemic (that's when your blood sugar is too low, which is dangerous). Talk to your physician before making any changes to your diet. And remember, these 13 tips for lowering blood sugar may work for many people, but they won't work for everyone.

Carb Intake

Carbs are basically sugar, and everybody should make an effort to control their intake, especially diabetics.

1. Cut Back the Carbs

Effects seen: Immediate

Your diet is something you want to talk to your physician about, but the simple fact is that a lower carb diet makes it easier to maintain stable blood sugar levels. It's part of why you're hearing so much about the Paleo Diet these days.

Carbohydrates are found in starchy foods — root vegetables, grains, rice, and legumes — and all of their derivatives, like bread, pasta, sushi, French fries, mashed yams, and even lentil soup. As someone who has been diabetic for nearly 20 years, I can attest that eating a diet low in carbohydrates, but rich in leafy greens, nuts, dark fruits like berries, and lean meats has had an amazing effect on my blood sugar control. I get all of the nutrients that I need without consuming grains. It takes a lot more effort to choose low-carb snacks over something as delicious as pie, but it makes a huge difference in the way that I feel. (See also: 12 Cheap and Healthy Snacks)

2. Spread Out the Carbs

Effects seen: Immediate

For the carbohydrates that you do eat, try to spread them out evenly throughout the day. For instance, if you really love apples, but eating an entire apple raises your blood sugar, simply eat your apple wedge by wedge over the course of a few hours, rather than all at once. The apple will likely raise your blood sugar, but not in a huge spike. If you can keep your blood sugar levels more steady (without big jumps and drops), you'll feel less hungry and grumpy.

Move Around

Exercise helps in the short term by immediately lowering blood sugar, and in the long term helps your body burn glucose more efficiently.

3. Get Some Light Exercise

Effects seen: Within 1 hour

Light exercise can lower your blood sugar level, often within minutes. I'm talking about a brisk walk or bicycle ride — not a long run or weight lifting. I've personally lowered my blood sugar by 40 points with a 20-minute walk. Light exercise is my go-to technique for lowering my blood sugar. (See also: Ways to Exercise in Under 5 Minutes)

4. Weight Training

Effects seen: Long term

Strength training may temporarily raise your blood sugar, but over time, it will help you build the kind of muscle that can burn glucose more efficiently.

6. A Glass of Red Wine

Effects seen: Within 1 hour

Many kinds of alcohol have the effect of lowering overall blood sugar levels (beer may have the opposite effect because of the total carbohydrate content). Red wine lowers your blood sugar by preventing the absorption of glucose by the intestines. Keep in mind that alcohol is not an effective long term blood glucose control, because it can contribute to the build-up of liver fat. (See also: Best Wine Openers)

Take a Supplement

Lots of people take supplements for long term health benefits, but these will bring down blood sugar relatively quickly.

7. Cinnamon Pills

Effects seen: Within 1 hour

Cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood sugars, although not effectively in post-menopausal women. In order to take enough cinnamon to lower your blood sugar, take it in capsule form. I take approximately 3,000 mg at each meal.

8. Chromium Picolinate

Effects seen: Within 1 hour

Chromium picolinate has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in Type II diabetics in many studies. Go easy on this particular supplement, though — it can do damage to your liver if you take too much.

9. Green Tea Extract

Effects seen: Within 1 hour

If you're not a fan of drinking tea, you can also take green tea extract in pill form.

10. Fenugreek Powder

Effects seen: Within 1 hour

Fenugreek is a seed that is used in the production of artificial maple syrup flavors. It's often prescribed to new mothers to help with the production of breast milk. It also slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Although studies showing the fenugreek lowers blood sugar test the actual seed soaked in hot water, I've personally used fenugreek powder capsules to lower my blood sugar. Fenugreek is a laxative, so don't take too much. (See also: Guide to Buying Herbal Supplements)

11. Apple Cider Vinegar

Effects seen: Within several hours

Apple cider vinegar has been shown to help control blood sugar levels in both pre-diabetic and Type II diabetics. If you don't want to drink a couple tablespoons of it, it also comes in an extract, which can be easier to tolerate. Note that apple cider vinegar takes longer to lower blood sugar levels than other supplements, and may be more effective as a preventative measure than as a reactive one.

Chill Out

And if you can't get your hands on any of the foods, beverages, supplements, and exercise equipment noted above, take a chill pill.

13. Get More Sleep

Effects seen: Long term

Getting adequate sleep is a good way to help lessen your body's insulin resistance. You might even notice that you have higher blood sugar when you don't get enough sleep. Actually, bad sleep and high blood sugar is a bit of a vicious cycle — once your blood sugars get too high, you don't sleep well, and when you don't sleep well, your blood sugars keep climbing.

If you can manage it, scale back on whatever it is that keeps you up late, like watching TV or drinking too much caffeine.

A Quick Note on Internet Diabetes Advice

There are some shockingly irresponsible articles on the Internet (I won't link to them because they don't deserve the clicks) that suggest eating foods like oranges and grapes to lower your blood sugar.This is patently false information. Not only will eating an orange not lower your blood sugar, eating an orange will raise your blood sugar (possibly requiring medication to lower it).

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went to dr today and she said i may be diabetic.
another test will be run tomorrow.

I am not happy.

:O(

I don't know what to eat...help

Guest #3

Lisa - the whole internet is at your feet, you need not ask this question. Just look under 'protein reach foods'.

Guest #4

Just a quick point: I wouldn't be naive enough to accept the medical industry's gospel that, as the poster says, "Losing weight is, frankly, the answer to a lot of health problems. In this case, losing weight will require less medication to manage your diabetes". Just about everyone on both sides of my family is diabetic--the fat ones, the thin ones, and the in-between ones. When my Aunt took her doctor's advice to lose weight, she did. She ate very sensibly, exercised regularly, and did it in a very smart way (lots of veggies, no crazy techniques, no 5-grapefruits-a-day or whatever the new fad is), and she lost 30 pounds. The result? Her diabetes got worse, and she now has to inject herself with insulin on a daily basis. So, just a comment to nuance the discussion of diabetes--while weight loss might be useful to some, and perhaps even many, people, some of us are destined to be diabetic (if weight were so important, why are ALL of the thin people in my family diabetic, and the few who aren't happen to be fat?). Of course, talk to your doctor, take your meds, blah blah, but if losing weight doesn't help your diabetes, don't be surprised.

When I first saw just the beginning of what this blog was about I was offended until I read the entire post. Your guest on 5/4/07 so hit the nail on the head. Every time I run into someone who seems to think that "If diabetics just ate less sugar and lost weight we would not be where we are", I use it as a moment to educate them about diabetes and the pancreas. A few months before being diagnosed I was in my second year of black belt training for karate, working out four days a week, doing 200 sit-ups, 100 push-ups per work out. I had a stressful life but I was in shape. Despite eating about 1000 calories a day I still developed type 2 diabetes and put on 50 lbs before anyone could figure out what was wrong. There are people walking around weighing 300-400lbs who do not develop diabetes. I feel that diabetes has nothing to do with weight and everything to do with stress of the pancreas and yes genetics for some. There are actually at least two women on my support list who weigh less than 110lbs and have never been over weight in any way and both developed type 2 diabetes. Some study done a while back says that 55% of type 2s have it due to weight and 45% due to other factors. I tend to think the 55% is too high and probably a lot lower.

Anyway just wanted to share my thoughts on this and say your guest was right on with their post. Oh my one cheap suggestion is drinking tea. I drink a caffeine free mix of green tea and a cinnamon apple tea. I have a tea for one set and i just put the tea bags in the pot together.
Tina D.

Guest #6

I agree with this comment. I haven't been officially diagnosed yet but my dr gave me a meter because my blood sugar and my A1C were high. Yesterday my blood sugar fasting was 150 and after a light meal it was 200. I eat healthy vegetarian food, I have a slim build and I get regular exercise.

Guest #7

I feel a diabetics goal would be more so to balance blood sugar levels rather than losing weight. I feel it's a tad absurd to lose weight to rid yourself of diabetes. You balance your blood sugar to manage your diabetes and the weight naturally comes off.

Guest #8

I had the same result. I am type 2 diabetic and have been for almost 16 years. 8 of those I was able to control it with diet alone no pills but eventually ended up on pills. I had surgery in 2011 and lost almost 30 pounds as a result. I have had a harder time controlling my levels since I lost the weight and added exercise to my routine. It either drops super low or shoots sky high.

Melody #9

Thank you for your comment. I lost 200lb and my diabetes is worse now than it's ever been even with exercise and diet. I'm not injecting insulin but I'm so discouraged I don't know what to do. My doctor is no help, she just says I may have to start insulin again. That's not the answer.

Dee #10

In your particular case there might be a bad gene somewhere. However, in most cases, the people in a family who have diabetes eat the same way, overeat, do little exercise, etc. That's why 60 short years ago, diabetes was almost unheard of. Plus, there are so many eating out, so many fast food restaurants, so much prepackaged food, etc. to deal with.

Teresa Gardiner #11

I totally agree. All my life i was a tiny size 10 until i hit 30 yrs old 8 yrs ogo. I developed fibromyalgia and 8 yrs later i have 20+cronic conditions including type 2 diabetes and due to all my meds o have gained 8 stone. I HAVE to take high dose steroids to keep me aluve due to 1 of my conditions. I barely eat a thing which isnt helping yet my sugats arecsstill up 18.5-20.5 range.

My partner who eats like a gannet .......is 30 stone and had his 1st set of bloods done last wk in 10 years. He changed drs so needed doing. I was convinced that being in a size 6xl tops and 54inch waist trousers that he woukd have an UNDER ACTIVE THYROID or diabetes. As he is MY FULLTIME CARER and looks after my 5 kids looks after 2 horses and the house and pets i would expect him to lose weight so fast as hes always on the go. But his weight isnt dropping.

ANYWAY.......tests all came back that he was fine. No diabetes which really hurt me in a way as again it ( why me...why have i got it ). Like my dr said .....it doesnt work like that. Just proves that being ova weight doesnt mean ur diabetic. Its just the way ur body works!!

Yep, it's true. I also recently found out that my thin (size 10) 18-year-old cousin just got put on meds because she is becoming type-2 diabetic. I'm 30 years old, defined as "obese" by the BMI, and as of my last check up (~2 months ago), my cholesterol was 147, my resting heart rate was 69, and my blood pressure was 117/72. I've never had an abnormal blood-sugar reading. So, I'm REALLY skeptical when I hear all of that talk about how losing weight improves, given that the sickliest people in my family are the thin ones!

Guest #14

Oops. "improves health", I mean.

Guest #15

I had a high random blood sugar after eating. I had gained 35 lbs. after my Dad died, and there was family litigation. Anyway, I never needed medication. I immediately went on the South Beach diet, and lost the 35 lbs. So, it has helped me. My fasting BG was 86,and my blood pressur is normal, and my hemoglobin A1c is normal at 5.6. I would like to comment that just because someone is 30, and overweight, and not diabetic, does not mean she will not be diabetic at 40, or 45, when insulin resistance is more likely. i cannot explain why your thinner, young relative is diabetic. Maybe she drinks soft drinks constantly,or eats a very very high carb diet, that her body does not process. If she started to watch her carbs and exercise, she would probably have improvement. Losing weight and watching bad carbs was all I needed. I live my life by the Glycemic Load and Glycemic Index, and it has helped immensely.

Val #16

Hi, WHAT AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE! when I was first diagnosed with diabetes II in 1998 I weighed 175 but lost 45 pounds and then felt great and always had good low sugars 80-110. Now I'm struggling to keep good sugars, I've gained weight back (165) and had to go on oral meds. I am determined to lose this crappy weight so my diabetes situation improves!

Guest #17

It's far more common than you might think, particularly with certain types of diabetes.

Remember, the only thing all the types of illnesses known as "diabetes" have in common is one symptom: unregulated sugar in the blood. There are numerous causes of diabetes which are not yet well understood (and may never be understood, unless some research foundation is formed to study and cure every kind of diabetes, not just Type 1... and if you think the American Diabetes Association will do it, keep dreaming). Whether a disease destroyed your pancreatic beta cells, you had insulin resistance, or you experienced some other genetic mutation that sent your blood sugars spinning off into space, the medical community calls the result of all these problems "diabetes." Part of the insanity here is that we're trying to treat a disease when we don't even know with certainty what causes it or why.

to66 #18

Yes. They lost weight and blood glucose got worst.
That's what happened to me. I'm 6ft high guy 210 lb when I was first diagnosed. I went on a diet (evethough I was NOT overweight at all) and lost 25 lb. My blood glucose got much worst.

evelyn #19

Nice to hear I am not alone. I was hypo when younger and 20 years later I am type 2. It is 180 right now as I sit here. I am feeling lost on how to get it down. I took my glucophage tonight. Can someone explain to me how bloodsugar makes u gain or lose weight. I hear so many different opinions. But I need some medical facts to go by, so I may be educated on this.. Help please.

Maybe it has more to do with being "in shape" than being thin? When I became diatebic, I was not overweight. The three times in which I have managed my diabetes so well that I didn't need medication, I was no thinner than I had been when I developed diabetes - BUT I was exercising. When I developed the disease, I couldn't have run a block without passing out.

Unless there is scienfitic evidence to the contrary, I'm going to keep believing that losing weight is largely beneficial.

It's fairly recent and I'm afraid I can't provide references, but results were released last year from studies which suggest that it's healthier to be fat and active than skinny and inactive.

Based on this, I believe that many, if not most, of the problems typically associated with excess weight are, in fact, caused by lack of activity rather than by being overweight. Previous studies simply failed to control for activity level, probably because weight is so much easier to observe.

Bob123 #22

Exercise lowers blood sugar, which is why this person saw a connection to being thiner and better blood glucose levels. On the other hand, high blood sugar can also cause you to be thiner, so the friend who lost weight and had bad blood glucose levels might have lost the weight because of the high blood sugar, not the other way around.

Thin/fat does not really mater, it maters if you exercise and maintain a good diet. Just because someone is thin does not mean they do not exercise.

James #23

So, a couple of years ago, I started working out and lost around 40 lbs. Then I find out I am Diabetic Type 2. So I go on a natural supplement and diet and exercise regiment. I have brought my blood sugar down to healthy levels but gained 20 lbs. back! Any suggestions?

In the hospital recently bad asthma attack.
High doses of steroids to control the asthma caused high spike in blood sugar which may come back to normal as I am tapered off of prednisone steroid.

One thing that was emphasized during my hospital stay was portion control and no seconds. Use a 8 or 9 inch plate not a big one and don't stack it high with food. Half of the plate should contain lettuce and other fresh salad veggies. The other half of the plate contains a portion of meat (preferably chicken or healthy fish like Salmon) no larger or thicker than the palm of your hand and a portion of vegetables.
Also research and keep in mind Low Salt (sodium), Low Carbohydrate (especially Low Starch (Potatoes, Breads, Pasta, etc are very high in Carbs!), and when combined with Low Fat foods, Low Fat cooking techniques, and mild daily exercise weight drops quickly!
If you can work at these activities with someone else it reduces the emotional stress of dealing with all of this.
There are support groups and classes that may be available close to where you live and probably support groups on-line too. Some are free and some may cost (my insurance may pay for classes if I want to attend).
Use Google and search for diabetes support group.

That sounds like a question for a doctor. The thing is, being diabetic makes it harder to lose weight (unless you are undiagnosed and you have high blood sugars; in which case you drop weight like crazy but also deevelop all kinds of side-effects, like kidney problems, eye problems, and foot problems). Once your blood sugar is under control, you might start gaining weight, but it's often better to be a little heavier with good sugars than thing with bad ones. :)

I have been to 3 medical sites and they state that coffee (even decaf) can cause the blood sugar to go up, and that diabetics should not drink coffee.

Other sites say things slimilar to yours.:
4. Drink decaf coffee. Caffeine can have a detrimental effect on blood sugar levels, but some other compound in coffee seems to lower blood sugar levels. A cupe of plain decaf coffee (you can add some cream, but no sugar!) may have a positive effect on your blood glucose levels.

All I know is when I drink my decaf coffee (with 1 splenda and a little sugar free creamer) My sugars are a little higher all day (150's)

Did you know that the Splenda(Or Aspartame & Sucrulose) you added in your coffee can cause your body to treat it like real sugar and increase your chance of insulin resistance? Not to mention MS or IBS and most digestive tract problems? Change your sugar substitutes to polyalcohol sugars like xylitol, mannitol, although these human manufactured sweets can also cause some degree of digestive tract upsets like bloating and diarrhea or passing gas!

I would suggest using the herb Stevia for sweetening your coffee or tea or even your Apple Cider Vinegar drink to lower your blood glucose levels. After a meal, sip 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in 16 oz of filtered water. I said SIP! Not Gulp!

And DON'T eat big meals! Small satisfying meals(Chew, Chew, Chew!) every 3 to 4 hours. Going without eating will certainly make you develop insulin resistance. And find out the Glycemic Value (GI) in your food and aim to eat most of the lower GI Valued foods and cut out the highest GI value foods totally or eat them only after they have marinated in red wine vinegar.

Jake #32

Coffee has been shown to be useful in helping prevent diabetes, but is less clearly useful once you have diabetes. Clearly, your own results should guide your conclusions here.

klm #33

Sorry to say, Debra got it wrong, backwards.
here is a quote from mayo clinic dot com
"Artificial sweeteners don't affect your blood sugar level. In fact, most artificial sweeteners are considered "free foods" because they don't count as a carbohydrate, a fat or any other diabetes exchange. Remember, however, other ingredients in foods containing artificial sweeteners can still affect your blood sugar level.

I'd suggest that the phrase be changed from "for some people" to "for almost everyone". The few people who don't get diarrhea from most of the sugar alcohols are able to metabolize them, and thus get a sharp uptick in blood sugar.

Most sugar alcohols suck. The only one I can handle is erythritol.

Guest #35

My blood sugar was at 221 and I drank a 24oz of black Columbian roasted coffee from a truck stop came home from work checked my blood sugar levels and I was at 149.

I also read that green tea lowers blood sugar levels as well so I just got done drinking green tea. I like my drinks cold so I drop ice into them and I treat them as a medication. I suck them down and ignore the taste of not having anything in them to help the flavor.

If that helps you any then good if not sry to say anything.

Guest #36

I am debating with myself about whether or not to take insulin. I have had type 2 diabetes for about 10 years. I know when I exercise, lose weight and eat right my blood sugar goes down. However, I have no energy to do any of this! Thus the reason for my self debate. I take meds: Metformin, Starlix and Actos ( I just added Chromium) for this wonderful condition. I am wondering if my body is so full of this synthetic crap that it makes my body ache all the time and keeps me tired.

Stop taking it.... it takes all of your energy away, makes you have difficulty breathing and can cause heart problems...... it has some of the same affects as AVANDIA.

Guest #38

I take metforim and my dr. wanted me to take actos
I looked it up and it can cause pain tireness and weight
gain so I wouldn't take it. You may want to ask your dr.
about the actos. What I read about it everybody that was
on it had to go off of it.

Guest #39

I seen you mention that you are suffering allot of aches and that you have low energy and just had to reply to you. The actos in my opinion as well as many others is the cause of both of those. I too was on actos and suffered from severe aches sometimes to the point it hurt to get out of bad, and i was also severely drained of energy. I stopped taking actos and within 2-3 days the aches have went away and my energy increased, that has also been the case for many others i know that were taking actos and stopped. I come from a family with a long history of diabtes, as well as my fiances family.

I am a nurse and health writer, who has researched diabetes and hyperinsulinemia / insulin resistance extensively over the years -- read my blogpost on Metformin ER AJsBodBlog.blogspot.com for more information about metformin. Metformin ER can be a very useful medication, if not overused. I started putting a capful from a vanilla vodka miniature (less than 1/2 tsp) into my coffee several times a day, and noticed it seems to control insulin and appetite for me about the same as taking some fraction of a Metformin ER tablet (depending on how big, and how many carbs I anticipate in meal) before meals. I am researching alcohol and reducing blood sugars, which brought me to this blog post. Good luck to you all. -- AJ

I promise you, if you exercise, you will have more energy. It doesn't seem to make sense (you're tired, exerting yourself doesn't sound like fun) but trust me, insulin isn't going to make you feel better or healthier. It could help you control higher blood sugars, but it won't give you more energy.

I can sympathize with the overly-medicated feeling. Talk to your doctor. Go easy on the chromium because it can hurt your liver over time.

I know you are probably right. If I will exercise, I will feel better, thus then hopefully I will not need to take so many meds. In the end I get what I want; health and less meds.

But dang!!!!! I am not really overweight and my AIC is about 6.5 (probably now 7.5 with not taking meds so much) anyway, I just feel like a truck runs over me at night. My body hurts so much every morning, making it difficult to get up. We just recently adopted a 2 and 3 year old sibling group and it is hard to keep up with them physcially. I get so stressed and that just compounds this glorious adventure. I really don't think, if I had the option in another lifetime, to choose to have diabetes. I remember watching my mom fight this until she had a massive stroke and died. I remember being so mad at this disease that I thought, "Bring it on, I will kick your butt!!!" HAHAHAHA - look at me now :)

Thanks for listening!

Tonya Berry #43

I wish I could adopt a sibling group. :(

But, whenever I've looked into adoption, it was so prohibitively expensive, it seems like we'll never afford it.

Renee #44

I too have diabetes type 2. I have not felt pain or tiredness with my condition. However, prior to being diagnosed diabetic I was diagnosed with thyroid disease. Before I was treated for thyroid, I was exhausted all the time and some times had muscle pains. You might want to have your TSH levels checked. This might be causing your symptoms.

1. If you're not overweight, and your A1C is in a good range, maybe there's something else getting to you? I don't experience pain as a result of my diabetes, and haven't heard of pain and exhaustion as a symptom of the disease, so have you talked to your doctor about this?

2. You adopted a sibling group. God bless you. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to read that. There are so few parents in the world who are willing to give that much of themselves.

I have to respectfully disagree. Of course, there are people who are very overweight who don't get type 2 diabetes, and there are thin people who do. But statistically, more fat people get type 2 diabetes than thin people. And losing weight can help. Of course, if your pancreas is giving out on you, really not producing enough insulin, then you are actually a type 1 diabetic.

Obviously, exercise alone isn't going to change everything for everyone. But it does cause great improvements for a lot of diabetics, and mentioning it shouldn't be offensive. Also, "eating sugar" isn't exactly the problem. Eating highly-processed foods that aren't sweet or sugary is detrimental to diabetics, too. Eating too much fat is also bad for diabetics.

I would respectfully refer you to bloodsugar101.com. It contains all sorts of useful information about Type 2 diabetes, including studies which indicate that weight gain among Type 2 diabetics isn't as much a cause of diabetes as it is a symptom. This is a widely misunderstood aspect of Type 2, even among physicians.

I am a type 2 diabetic who just read at 575 blood sugar....eeeeks is right
The nestle coconut creamer in my coffee spikes my sugar over 500 just a fyi
Thank you for all of the tips I have found lemon water or cucumber ice water to help
also start adding fresh garlic to your meats and pepper no other salts or stuff and it helps too. The green tea works and being japanese I found the fresh green tea virses tea bag is much quicker in lowering the blood sugar.
I lost 50 pounds and thot that was enuff to ignore my levels...boy was I wrong
I have had 17 surgeries so don't have much activity til I got that reading...it sure motivated me to get my hind end off the couch and start walking. even jogging laying down in the hot tub anything!!!
I am 51 and thot I was dying didn't know what to say to the kids, started getting rid of stuff and downsizing which was a good thing....
all because I quit checking my blood sugar and had ended up in dangerous waters.....
I feel more alive now and a lot less depressed or worried that I am dying...altho I could have if my blood sugar went up any higher....
So just cuz you lose weight does not mean your diabetis willnecessarily disappear!!!!

There are five genes that contribute to Insulin Resistance and Diabetes, according to Diabetes Forecast magazine. This article came out 2007. There is more at work than just diet and exerise in some people. But, most doctors do see marked improvement in those that lose excess weight,and exercise. And for those that catch their problem in time, some of them can use diet and exercise to reverse the problems and condition of high blood sugar/diabetes.

Hi, Im a type 2 diabetic, have been for about two and a half years, although I suspect it had been creeping up on me for a long time before that due to the sheer amount of crap I used to shovel into my mouth.
My levels when I took my first diagnosed test were 36mm if your in the UK Great Britain (which I am) or multiply by 18 for US citizens 648mg/dl. Thats a fairly high reading as you can imagine. Needless to say, they didnt let me leave the doctors office and I was driven straight to my local emergency ward
After that, I was on 4 shots of insulin a day.
A few months down the line, I started studying anything I could find on reversing my condition.
Low and behold there is a ton of information on the web alone.
I also ordered sevral books.
After a lot of research and adjusting my diet I was able to come of the shots and the doctor has signed me of the register as a diabetic. Although, I find that if I'm at all wayward with my diet, the symptoms appear again within days.
Here are my recommendations. You may not like some of them but given the choice between going without your favourite snacks or having your legs amputated and going blind, then I dont think their is even a question which one you should choose.

Here we go.
1.
Never eat any form of sugar again ever! No ifs or buts.
No sucrose, fructose, molasses, honey, basically any sweetner, artificial or otherwise. Yes it sucks but you'll deal with it.
Choose cinammon, real lemon or lime juice, nutmeg, black pepper, what ever floats your boat.
2.
Eat virtually no carbohydrate, except the stuff that naturally occurs in veg and fruit. And for that matter, only eat fruts that have 3-4grams of sugar or less per 100grams. those would be the sharp tasting varieties. If in doubt read the labels people.
3.
Read the labels of everything you buy before you buy it, this is one of the greatest weapons in your fight against rising blood sugar levels. Avoid any food that contains more than 3-4 grams of carbohydrate per 100grams.
4.
Start taking a table spoon of high quality flaxseed oil everyday, mixed in with a little plain un flavoured yogurt, add some cinammon, make sure you mix it in well, if you can get your hands on some, use quark instead. I helps assimilate the oil much better, you may want to add a little water to make it mix easier, dont forget to add the cinammon.
5.
Try not to eat after about 6 in the evening or not long after you finnish your day job, since your body will burn up and glucose less efficiently once you stop moving around.
6.
Get as much exercise as you can, dont worry if your not a marathon runner, walking is good. Get in the habit of doing as much as you can, just dont make yourself ill from overexercising.
7.
Cut out all forms of caffeine, all crappy soft drinks, diet or otherwise. I know we all love em but crush them like the evil little culprits that they are.

8.
Eat more high quality protein and dark green veg, there is too much to talk about here so just trust me, they are highly beneficial foods.

9.
Dont eat too much fat, it all goes in, obviously olive oil, coconut oil, avocado and all the other natural unprocessed oils are ok.

I have also had good luck with apple cider vinegar. Additionally it can help with other things like a sore throat, getting rid of athletes feet, rinsing and re balancing the pH level in you scalp. I usually put two tablespoonfuls in a glass of water. Another good way to take is to sprinkle some over you veggies at meal time.

Thank you for all of your helpful comments.

Suehen #54

should I stop drinking Splenda? i was just diagnosted and this is all new to me

David #55

Suehen,

In Bernsteins book he states that in powdered form, Splenda is principally a mixture of sugars to provide bulk and should be avoided. "If you read the Nutrition Facts label on granulated Splenda, for example, it lists, as such labels must, ingredients in order from most to least: dextrose (glucose), maltodextrin (a mixture of sugars), and finally sucralose."

He writes that Splenda is OK in tablet form "Splenda tablets are available now in some parts of the United States, overseas and on the Internet. They are benign in spite of containing minute amounts of lactose. In powdered form, Splenda is principally a mixture of sugars to provide bulk and should be avoided."

They DID steal the content. I will let our powerful team of lawyers (Will) know.

Thanks to the other commenters, too. I'd like to mention that I've been reading up on supposed diabetes "cures" that stress high-carb, low-fat diets. I'm not even sure I can begin to wrap my head around that idea, but I'm going to keep reading and see what I find for a follow-up article.

From Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: "We acquire protein from a number of sources, but the foods that are richest in it - egg whites, cheese and meats (including fish and fowl) - contain virtually no carbohydrate. Protein is available in smaller amounts from vegetable sources such as legumes (beans) seeds, and nuts, which also contain fat and carbohydrate."

I highly recommend Dr. Bernsteins book and it is available on Amazon.com:

I was diagnosed as a Type 2 approximately 2 months ago and had a fasting BG of 450 mg/dl. By following Dr. Bernsteins advice, I am down to a fasting BG of about 115 mg/dl and am trying to get better than this.

There are so many who search for a blood sugar answer, but the answers vary according to the individual metabolism, activity and diet. I would recommend that those with blood sugar problems review the diabetes materials posted on the Internet by Life Extension Foundation. They are quite interesting.

Dr. Bernstein's book and diet are very, very difficult to follow -- but they do work. Personally, I have been floating around in nana land for awhile, somewhat in denial about my diabetes. now it is smacking me in the face and I have to do something about it or just die. We don't have insurance or the means to buy insulin. I am already on metformin but my best chance is to get this weight off by eating like Dr. B says. I have an injured knee that needs surgery, so will have to exercise creatively. Going back to the topic of thin vs. fat people having type II diabetes -- Dr. B has some interesting theories about that. He believes that maybe thin type IIs might actually be like "late" type 1s. Interesting, and that would explain their difficulties. I have an aunt who is like that, and her whole scenario of dealing w/her diabetes feels more like a type 1....harder to control, etc.

Also, you need to see an endocrinologist and should definitely pick up Dr. Bernstein's book.

David

Guest #64

Gotta ditch the soda entirely, sorry. You'll basically get used to it with time.

man #65

i just returned from the dr. office and found out my sugar in the pee was 2000 what am i to do! i need help fast.... i need some ideas to quickly bring down the sugar. does anyone have some suggestions....help.... and where do i go to explain the 2000 in my urine.... all they said was get it down exercise,stop all sugars and watch what i eat and i will see you in 6 mo.
what should the count be in your urine?

Your sugar in your urine should be 0. Did they check your blood sugar level? The sugar gets in your urine by your body trying to get rid of it in your blood. Your kidneys excrete it to lower your blood glucose levels. I would think that your blood glucose levels would be high if your urine levels are 2000. I would ask to have fasting blood glucose level done, and I would not wait 6 months. Hope you figure it out.

se72748 #67

When I learned that I had type 2 diabetes.I gave up eating white stuff;potatos,rice,bread,pasta ,pastry's.I wound up loosing forty five pounds, my A1c dropped from 6.5 to 4.3.No metformin or any other diabetic drugs.It was an adjustment but not that hard.If I continue to do this I am do

Guest #68

I read that you reccomend Costco for bulk suppliments. I would also reccomend Puritans Pride. Quite often, they will give you discounts like buy 1 bottle, get 1 or 2 free; buy 2, get three free. I'm talking 100-200 pills per bottle! They can offer low prices because they cut out the middleman, and they make their own products.
The Grill Sgt.

There is new research on natural insulin foods, so to speak, which help to lower blood sugar. Cinnamon has been found to lower blood sugar, after consistent intake over a 6 week period. Chamomile tea also has a significant and measurable effect on blood sugar, although you have to drink at least 5 cups a day. The link is http://www.collectivewizdom.com/FoodsThatKeepBloodSugarSteady

I have read all the comments attached to this article and want to say that I appreciate all the information you all have sent. I am from a diabetic family and have recently been diagnosed as type II so am trying to get some weight off, get some 'body' moving, and working on getting as close to vegan as I can. I told my doctor that I am not disciplined enough to be a true vegan but I can certainly start leaning that way. I have Dr. Neal Barnard's book on reversing diabetes and agree with it - in theory; it's the 'in practice' part that I'm having trouble with.

In my last article regarding green tea, I didn't mention that I drink the green tea w/o sugar. Once you try it a few times you will get used to it.

My son is 15 he uses this honey and cinnamon on his pimples. It really does work.

Cinnamon and Honey
Bet the drug companies won't like this getting around.

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:
It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world.
Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine or all kinds of diseases.

Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, in its issue dated 17 January 2008 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:
Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research Conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors Treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half Teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, Out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally Relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not Walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a Glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, were found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As Mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic Cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon Lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This Process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears Stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:
According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks... Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral Diseases.

INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food Relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient¢ Which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the Ravages of old age.
Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water and boil to make like tea.
Drink 1/4 cup, three to Four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.
Life spans also increases and even a 100 year old, starts performing the Chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste.
Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with Warm water.
If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts
Cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping,
drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one Cup of water.
If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person.
Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully.
Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body.
Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible.
Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half Tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder,
taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. When the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH:
People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water,
so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restore hearing. Remember when we were kids?
We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and loved ones ~ everyone needs healthy help information. Share it with your email buddies!

This site is filled with great information on diabetes. I have been searching for a site that gives great information and feedback.

I have been a diabetic for 37 years and I am taking insulin and oral medicine. I have watched the many changes and confusion of medical advice from physicians and the changes by the food industry.

What works for me is 5-6 small meals, lots of veggies, umm I love fresh veggies, and lots of liquids. I eat very little breads and crackers, limiting my carbs as my body seems to be most sensitive to carbs, starchy veggies, and lite yogurts. I eat plain yogurt and add blueberries and strawberries alowing them to sit for a day or two to increase the flavor in the yogurt.

Finding out what works for your body takes time but in the long run time is what you will gain.

I agree that Dr. Richard Bernstein's Diabetic Doctor's Diet is the best possible advice. I was diagnosed 10 years ago, followed the diet, use no diabetes medication, and am at the pre-diabetic stage -- below 6.0 HBAIC. The diet is protein and low carb vegetables -- not hard or complicated. If I eat one piece of bread, I gain a pound. I can lose that pound if I eat no starch or sugar the next day. The insulin I overproduced before diagnosis made me gain 35 lbs; on the diet I lost that weight. I can tell what my blood sugar is by my waist and my weigh-scales.

I read with great interest all the comments.My doctor said
Trevor why havent you bothered about your health for the last
20 years.Running a business,losing a house,raising a family,then losing a business with the credit crunch in the uk has been terribly stressful,then finding problems with conventional medicine i,ve turned to alternative medicine and wow i feel a different man.Apricot kernels,kombucha and vitamin supplements
and walking and once a week swimming and blood glucose levels
have gone down from 20.8 to 8.8.The talk about alkalising your body,it works,find out how many foods and apple cider vinegar
help the body to alkalise.I,m going to keep trusting natures
way will cure me.Our creator must have provided health for us in nature itself,please comment

Drinking green tea with cinnamon really worked to lower my blood sugar. My blood sugar was at 279. I drank 3 cups of green tea with powdered cinnamon (no sugar) and after an hour my blood sugar lowered to 160! I was surprised that the cinnamon made the tea seem to be sweet tasting. It deffinnatelly beats drinking green tea by itself :)

Ihate how my blood suger goes from high to low.I wake up in the morning and have a BS of around 140, I test about 1.5 H after I dose and its in the three hundreds. then after lunch I end up going into the 40 all afternoon and miss most of my 6th and 7th class periods, any tips to keep it around 130 all day?

You want to keep your sugars between 90 and 120. And if you wake up with high blood sugars, it means that you either need to cut down on the carbs you eat at night, or ask your doctor about long-acting medication.

Blood sugar in the 300s is bad. Very bad. Causing-damage-to-your-organs bad.

I very seriously doubt that you have blood sugar in the 40s for an entire afternoon. Blood sugar at 40 or below is considered insulin shock, and you won't last very long.

not usally staying in the 40s but it takes an hour to get it back up above 70 and i already ahve long acting insulin, lantus have to take 40 units of it. my blood sugers havnt gone over 200 for a month now.

Really, a whole hour to get back up? Are you drinking half a glass of juice or anything when you get that low? I just have a piece or two of candy and I'm back to normal in ten minutes. It's a really awful feeling, but it's a quick recovery, usually.

Again, I'd recommend talking to your doctor to see what might be causing the swings in blood sugar. It's usually related to diet and exercise. Preventing your sugar from dipping too low can be as simple as having an apple right around the time that you normally get the low blood sugars. Since I'm not a medical professional, I don't have the skills or knowledge to do much more than to tell you to see your doctor or talk to a nutritionist.

I have been having around 120 blood sugar reading at 10 pm or 11pm after eating dinner around 6:30 or 7. I was 190 lbs with a fasting of 105. I am now 160 lbs and eat the same breakfast most everyday, Oatmeal with bluberries and peanut butter, 2 tablespoons fiber and sprinkled cinnamon. It is usually around 90 more or less in the morning now, sometimes it was after 12 hours when I checked. I have been jogging, riding a bike, and exercising a little with weights most every day. Basically eating breakfast and dinner with little lunch, since off for summer, getting up late, and blood taking long time to go down. After oatmeal, and 1 1/2 hours exercise, still around 120 in afternoon. Any thoughts or suggestions? Should I eat more lunch? Won't my blood go even higher? It seems to stay at the same reading for many hours. One extreme was it was 99 one night and when I woke up in the morning it was 98. I do have stress and anxiety attacks quite a bit now, around the same time the doc said I had pre-diabetes. Noticed it after drinking tapioca express a lot, waking up in the middle of the night shaking, in shock of some kind. Maybe blood going up real high and dropping real low, i don't know.

Guest #85

I believe that there are additional foods which may help after high, glycemic-index foods; fresh ginger, (cut into slices; sucking may enhance absorbtion)pomegranates, and lemon/lime (inner peel, juice, fruit). I also have heard that bitters may help as well.

I was wondering what your thoughts are on this. For me, I'm quite happy that the elders are finally being listened to! We aren't all myths and legends! cwa cwa! :P

I'm also a type 2 diabetic... and is quite a lucky one at that. when I was diagnosed at 15, the doctors were "amazed" at how lucky I was because my levels were over 100 (my god... my mother boasts about it and to be quite frank it's annoying). then 5 days later I was out of the hospital, on insulin then until early-mid september I was on metformin. However, due to the stress of university and "interesting" people, my levels have begun to rise (and christmas... ARGHL christmas... those shortbread cookies... -lovingly looks at them- haha) to about 11-23 and have decided to try out the cinnamon and green tea trick. well it dropped from 11.9 to about a safer 7.8 twenty minutes after (though my levels were still high the next day).

Thanks for making this article Andrea! it really helped me and many others!

Yes, I'm not actually familiar with the different blood sugar measurements around the world.

Thanks for the link to the article on Cree medicine. I don't doubt that there are many traditional treatments for diabetes that are going to be very useful in the future. Of course, the original Cree lifestyle was probably the best for preventing diabetes, but who can live that way now? ;)

Red wine definitely lowers blood sugar,beer is a crap shoot.Wheat beers I don't trust.Usually strong beers 6% and higher work but not all.My Standby is Stella Artois.I have a beer about 3 times a week,Friday is my tasters day,last Friday I had a strong malt beer crossed my fingers that it wasn't a mistake,it wasn't.
You have to watch like a hawk what you buy,most food is filled with Corn syrup,Corn syrup solids,various starches and some form of disolvable sand,none of wich adds anything to taste,just money to food processors' wallets.I make my own ketchup,I can't tell the difference between mine and the sugar packed stuff from
the market.If I sleep more than 3 hours at a clip I will spike,so I rely on naps and short sleep periods.Vitamin B complex is a sleep aid.I started to wake at 6:30 Am., eat a snack with metformin then back to bed.My morning reads are usual 5.8 - 7.6,before they were in the 8.5 - 9.8 range.A radical panic measure that I have taken to lower blood sugars was to take a teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon fenugrek washed down with 2 tablespoons of apple cidar vinegar mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice.
It works but not by much,the vinegar is achallenge.
Thanks for the information on this site.

No one here is supposed to dispense medical advice. If you are having low blood sugars, talk to your doctor.

That said, low blood sugars are caused when you burn more sugar than you take in. This is either because you are medicating too much, eating too few carbs, or exercising too hard (or all three, perhaps?). ALWAYS, as a diabetic, keep some candy or glucose pills on hand so that you can raise your blood sugar to normal levels if you hit a low.

It's great to see people with diabetes supporting each other. I agree with the previous blogger who said that we shouldn't be dispensing medical advice. A lot of what I read on here contradicts what I read elsewhere. I'll be armed with many questions when I see my nurse next time. It's been very informative though. Thank you

Thanks for a great article Andrea, and to everyone who has commented. I'm a type 2 and am seriously struggling to control my sugars and lose weight. My nurse told me the key is excerise, not necessarily to lose weight but to burn off calories and stimulate the insulin to do its job. I'm now back on metformin and gliclozide (which is a bummer as they make you gain weight)...but I'm going to try the green tea, honey and cinnamon tips and see if they help.

I would like to know if there are any type 2 diabetics that used water fasting or juice fasting to gain control over their diabetes?

Self healing through fasting. Besides weight loss, did the fasting lower your blood glucose set point before eating IE from 9.0mmol to below say 6.5mmol. Did you body become more effective in handling a well balanced carb. meal(less insulin resistant)without traditional medication.

Al juices are dangerous to diabetics, because commercial juices have added sugar and they go directly to your blood strem. Eat the orange,pulp and all, instead. try the green slurpee that I suggested as comment #79. Now its time fo my hour of dancing.

steve bullock #96

he wears that sleep acnea mask at night plus takes medication and my dads doctor has got my mom checking it 3 times a day and its been over 200 everytime it never goes to normal.he is disabled since i was 2 he is 60 yrs old all the man does as a habbit is chew tobbacco days work and he drinks diet coke what can he do to bring it normal or is he going to be put on a shot .if there is something out there you recommend to try that can bring it down just email me sorry to bother but im a only child and i dont want to lose him thank for yr time

Pretty much everything in this article describes way to lower your blood sugar, but your father obviously needs to discuss this with a physician first. Green tea and cinnamon have helped lots of people, as does exercise (even disabled people should be able to do small forms of exercise, sitting or even lying down).

This is not a forum for medical advice, so make sure that your father is treated by a physician.

Andrea, when I changed jobs, and had to change doctors, this young guy recommended Actos. I took it for four days and was so ill, I threw them away and have gone back to natural remedies. No need to take meds so you could eat what is bad for you. All doctors recommend medicine, that is their business. My sister who is also diabetic, and took meds, including insulin, now has Parkinsons's disease to cope with also. I can dance. She cannot walk. My girlfriend had the bariatric surgery to get off insulin, lost 60lbs and now walks six miles three days a week.

Diabetes is an auto immune disease, it cannnot be cured. Managing it through diet and exercise is the best option.

alice #99

Thank you very much.. Can this lower a person a1c level? I really hate those pills they drop my blood sugar to low and I faint in the street. I would like to avoid those meds.

Thank you

Alice

P.s everyone should get there thyroid checked . It has a lot to do with everything in the body .

Your A1C is simply your blood sugar as measured over several months. If you lower your blood sugar on a daily basis, then your A1C will go down, too. The important thing is consistency and care in not over-doing it. Your A1C won't be any better if you have high sugars with drops of low blood sugar in between.

Good luck and do be careful! Low blood sugars are dangerous, so monitor your sugars and keep something sugary on hand to combat low blood sugar levels.